Toby Keith tributes as celebrities mourn country music icon

Celebrities are mourning country music legend Toby Keith, who has died aged 62 after being diagnosed with stomach cancer.

His family announced his death in a statement shared on social media on Monday.

“Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on February 5th, surrounded by his family. He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time,” the message read.

Stars including golfer John Daly, singer-songwriter Randy Houser and actor Garrett Hedlund shared their tributes to the late country star in the comment section of the announcement made on Instagram.

“God Bless you and Family. Hard to imagine an America without Toby Keith in it,” Houser wrote.

“My heart is truly broken… one of my best friends gone by this disease! RIP Big Dawg…..” Daly commented on the post.

“Hate to hear this. You fought hard brother. Prayers for his family. RIPTK,” singer Channing Wilson said.

Country singer William Michael Morgan added: “Heartbreaking news. Praying for his family. Thanks Toby for being a badass and someone a singer like me could look up to. RIP big dawg!”

“Rest In Peace and Love Toby Keith,” actor Kristy Swanson commented.

The tributes didn’t end there, as Hedlund posted a crown emoji, Lee Greenwood posted three prayer emojis and comedian Darren Carter said the news was “heartbreaking.”

People also took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their tributes.

WWE star Brooklyn Brawler, real name Steve Lombardi, posted a photo of himself with the singer and wrote: “RIP ⁦@tobykeith⁩ A great talent, A great person, you will never be forgotten.”

“God bless @tobykeith and his family. RIP to a country music legend,” television presenter Janice Dean posted to the social media platform.

Podcast host Joey Mannarino shared what it was like meeting the musician, writing: “Rest in Peace Toby Keith. Got to meet him during [Donald] Trump’s inauguration around one of the balls. A nice man! Gone way too soon!”

Keith was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2021, and took an indefinite break from recording new music and performing live. But he continued to fundraise for children’s cancer research through his Toby Keith Foundation.

The musician didn’t speak publicly about his cancer battle until 2022 when he posted to X to reveal he had been diagnosed with the disease.

“Last fall I was diagnosed with stomach cancer. I’ve spent the last six months receiving chemo, radiation and surgery,” he wrote. “So far, so good. I need time to breathe, recover and relax. I am looking forward to spending this time with my family. But I will see the fans sooner than later. I can’t wait.”

He eventually made a successful return to the stage in December 2023 with three sold-out shows in Las Vegas.

“It was a triumphant return. One hell of a night in Vegas. Ready to do it all over again tonight. #TobyInVegas,” Keith posted to social media after the first show.

Before his sold-out Las Vegas run, Keith also made an appearance at the People’s Choice Country Awards in Nashville, Tennessee, in September, where he was crowned an icon of country music. His wife, Tricia Lucas, could be seen in tears as Keith performed the song “Don’t Let the Old Man In” after receiving the accolade.

Keith enjoyed a 3-decade career with chart-topping hits including, “Red Solo Cup,” “I Don’t Wanna Talk About Me,” “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American),” and “I Love This Bar.”

He sold 40 million albums over the course of his career and was awarded the National Medal of Arts by Trump in 2021.

Keith is survived by his wife, his three children—daughters Shelley Covel Rowland and Krystal Keith and son Stelen Keith—and four grandchildren.

Update, 02/06/2024 7:26 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.